Grasping the Details About Parkinson’s Disease

When you first encounter the terms "Parkinson’s Disease" you may have read it in a magazine describing what a Hollywood actor has, or you may have just been told that it is a disease that you or your spouse has. You may have read about it in a medical journal. Parkinson’s disease is a brain disorder that has to do with certain nerve cells called neurons. These cells are not functioning normally and affect certain muscles in the body that can have an impact on the individual’s ability to move, balance, and think. All of these affect the person’s ability to function at work and at home.

The most common symptoms of the disease are tremors, slowness of movement while walking, a stiffness or rigidity to the muscles, and poor balance or coordination. The individual or someone close to the individual may notice sloppy or cramped handwriting, expressionless face, shuffling while walking, inability to change directions while walking without stumbling, quiet or muffled speech, and anxiety or depression.

Parkinson’s occurs in all races and to both men and women in equal proportion. There are approximately 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease every year in the United States. Only 15% of those diagnosed are under age 50 with a large number of those being diagnosed being over age 80.

The doctor will take a medical history and list of symptoms and then conduct a physical examination to look for signs of tremors, muscle rigidity or stiffness, and poor balance and coordination. The doctor may also ask the patient to give blood and urine samples and to have CT scan or MRI scan to rule out other diseases or conditions.

Treatment after diagnosis may include medications and alternative medicines, dietary improvements and exercises. After all other methods are exhausted without results surgery may be considered.

It is important for the individual with Parkinson’s to educate themselves and family members about the disease so that they can understand how the disease may progress and to be able to have good coping skills for living a functioning life as long as possible. Support is vital to the patient with a chronic and progressive disease such as Parkinson’s. The doctor is your first line of resources and support. Your doctor can give you local and national support information about Parkinson’s organizations that provide up-to-date information about treatments and alternative medicine that has been studied or reviewed by researchers and doctors.

Your treatment plan will change as the disease changes. It is vital that you keep your appointments with your doctor, and physical therapist. Your therapist will help by showing you how to do exercises that will help you to remain mobile and to reduce the muscle stiffness and improve balance and coordination.

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